The Woman King
Viola Davis burns up the screen in Gina Prince-Blythewood’s The Woman King.
All hail Viola Davis in this action epic.
In a small village outside of Dahomey, a group of women emerges from the tall grasses like lionesses on a hunt. They tear through the village, brutally slaughtering any that stand in their way until they reach their goal: Dahomey prisoners taken by a rival kingdom to be sold as slaves to the Portuguese.
It’s a brutal battle, but one the women win.
At the end of the day, they commemorate their lost warriors, step over the bodies of their enemies, and escort the prisoners home.
As they reach the streets of Dahomey’s palace, people bow their heads. These women are the Agojie, an all-female king’s guard that is feared and revered throughout the land. Women who join the Agojie never marry or bear children, they dedicate their lives to fighting fiercely for their king. In return for this, they are granted privileges unseen by other women in the kingdom.
The Agojie’s general, Nanisca (Viola Davis), wants to use that privilege for good. The battle-scarred warrior is disgusted with Dahomey’s part in the slave trade and is working to convince the King (John Boyega) to trade palm oil instead of human lives. The King is worried that stopping the trade entirely will make the kingdom vulnerable to attack, but Nanisca worries that participating in such an evil business will tarnish the kingdom’s soul.
A war of politics is new to Nanisca, who is used to fighting with a blade. Can she convince her King that participating in the enslavement of others is wrong? And will the Agojie be able to hold off the threats of nations that see this as a weakness?
A rip-roaring historic action epic, The Woman King is a new take on the classic genre. The film is based on a real group of women warriors who served the nation of Dahomey (modern-day Benin). Though the film might take some liberties with Dahomey’s role in the slave trade during the 1800s and how the Agojie aided in the process, the film itself is about the legends rather than the facts. After all, there were no elephants or rhinos at the real Battle of Thermopylae, but that didn’t stop 300 from adding them in to offset all the oiled abs.
Director Gina Prince-Bythewood wisely doesn’t try to make these women warriors more masculine but shows that their femininity is what makes them so fearless and fearsome. Prince-Bythewood lingers on tender moments when the trainees learn and bond with each other. It’s these ties, this sisterhood that forms, that gives them the courage to attack any force that challenges them.
Prince-Bythewood shows the women braiding each other’s hair, holding each other after hard-fought victories, and caring for each other’s wounds. This is a cadre of women that deeply love and value one another. Because of this, they will tear the heads off anyone who harms one of their sisters. The juxtaposition of extreme tenderness and extreme violence shows off the bond in a way films like 300 never dared. You’d never catch King Leonidas helping to set his warrior’s edges before taking on Xerxes.
Maybe if he had, the Spartans would have lived.
Though Prince-Bythewood is fairly new to action films (2020’s The Old Guard was the first action flick she helmed), she’s showing a strong aptitude for big battles and gritty fights. While hampered by a PG-13 rating, meaning you’re not going to get the blood and guts you would from Prey, the fighting is visceral enough to insinuate carnage instead of showing it. The Woman King also doesn’t shy away from the horrors that face these women, and the specific tortures they can look forward to if captured. But with all this violence, comes righteous triumph. The ending set piece, a raid on a slave port, is absolutely stunning to behold, earning uproarious cheers and applause from the audience.
The Woman King is also a showcase for Prince-Bythewood’s biggest strength as a director: Stories about stubborn, difficult women. The Woman King is full of strong personalities, from Davis’ intense Nanisca to Thuso Mbedu’s rebellious Nawi to Lashana Lynch’s sarcastic recruit trainer Izogie. This is a story about women finding strength in their bonds. It’s a celebration of powerful Black women that is rarely seen in big-budget action films.
As a result, the cast of this inspirational epic is essential to its success. Davis, one of the most reliably excellent working actresses today, attacks the role of Nanisca with the ferocity you would expect. She is a leader who has been hardened by wars but still cares dearly for those in her charge. And though she’s been through unimaginable trauma, she does not let her fear stop her. It’s a bravura performance from Davis, who should definitely consider more action epics in her future.
Davis’ biggest rival in the film is not the evil she fights, but Lynch, whose Izogie is a scene-stealer. With a laconic charm and a contagious smile, Lynch’s Izogie helps the new recruits find their footing when Nanisca’s tough love goes too far. She’s not a drill instructor so much as the big sister everyone wishes they had.
There is one misstep in The Woman King, and that’s an absolutely superfluous love story. In a movie that focuses so much on the power of sisterhood, having Nawi steal kisses while the kingdom is falling apart around her seems downright silly.
Still, as we charge into awards season, you would be remiss to dismiss The Woman King. It’s a powerful look at the strength of Black women, the fight for right, and just how amazing Viola Davis is as a leading lady. Go see it in a crowded theater, so you can clap and cheer as the Agojie kick some ass.
Verdict: See it now and on the biggest screen you can find.
The Woman King is rated PG-13 and available in theaters.
